Soda Pop Backdrops
by Life Strong
Summary: It's a warm summer night in Skylands, but thanks to Freeze Blade' s new life story spin the bottle game, it's not going to stay peaceful for long. One-shotish series detailing Skylander back stories, and each chapter has its own rating.


**Life Strong here: each chapter has its own individual rating, but this chapter happens to be rated M because of molestation (hey, gotta start out with a bang, right? XD). Anyways, if that type of thing bothers you I apologize and I recommend skipping over that part (I'll double line it and put the word warning). Anyways, yeah, please enjoy! I own none of these characters even though I wish I did. Xoxo.**

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><p>It was a warm, summer night in Skylands; the birds were chirping and evil wasn't being as evil as usual. Everyone seemed in good spirits, all except for one.<p>

"Oh hell no!" Spy Rise grumbled as the bottle landed on him, the others around the campfire looking at him intently. After they had all drank several of Pop Fizz' s soda' s, Freeze Blade had gotten the smart idea to play life story spin the bottle, in which if the bottle lands on you you have to soil your life's story. Freeze had spun the bottle once, and first things first it landed on the crankiest, most secretive member of the Skylanders.

"You agreed to play," Freeze Blade sang, making Spy reach out and smack him. They continued on like this for twenty minutes until Freeze Blade decided to give it a rest. The ice cat groaned and hunched his shoulders, wishing there was a way to get the tech element to talk.

"What's with the down face, Freeze Blade?" Dr. Krankcase asked as he plopped down next to Spy Rise, happily taking a soda from Pop Fizz. Freeze Blade explained the situation to Krankcase, and the evil doctor grinned, "Why don't I just tell you?"

The other clapped and encouraged the villain, but Spy wasn't amused, "Dad, don't you dare."

"Too late, my boy," Krankcase smirked, waving his hands dramatically. The others leaned in and listened intently as the doctor cleared his throat, "It all began after I drew some blue prints thanks to a drunk dare Golden Queen had given me."

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><p>Krankcase sighed, his green skin covered with giant beads of sweat and his mouth forming a hard line. The blueprints for a new creation of his laid in front of him. This new creation of his was innovative. It was bold. It was new. It's name was Casey.<p>

Krankcase was going to create a boy out of metal that could grow, adapt, eat, drink, breath, and feel. Problem was, the doctor didn't know how to begin creating his robot considering all that he had ever worked with was wood.

A knock came at Dr. Krankcase' s door and the steampunk villain sprang up with a jump, his heart thumping. The man prayed that it wasn't the police as he staggered to the door and glanced through a small peephole. The doctor grinned with relief; it was Glumshanks, here to help him with Casey.

"Hello old friend, I heard you've got a new project underway?" Glumshanks shrugged off his red sheep's hide coat as he walked through the door. A clap of thunder then sounded, making Krankcase peek outside. Just how long had it been raining?

The rather scatter brained Doom Raider only shut the door, locked all 150 locks back (what can he say; he's a thorough man), and scurried back to his work table, holding up his blueprints proudly. Glumshanks raised and eyebrow, making Krankcase realize that he hadn't actually answered the troll' s question, "Yeah, and these are the blueprints."

Glumshanks nodded, putting on a pair of steampunk goggles and black gloves. Krankcase followed suit and joined the troll at the work station, smiling from ear to ear. "Master Kaos actually gave me time off to help you with this; he's a major fan of yours. Are you ready to make your son?" Glumshanks noted how odd the last question sounded, and how inappropriate in nature it was, but Krankcase paid no heed and nodded enthusiastically, "Well then, let's get to work."

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><p>Casey opened his eyes for the first time that night, the jade coloured orbs scanning the area surrounding him. The small robot was laying on a copper coloured table made of gears, the floor and ceiling was made of a dark cherry wood, and the walls were painted ruby red. There was shelves, a wooden sink, a wooden desk cluttered with papers, and a heavy looking bath tub filled with green goo all in the room. Casey continued scanning the room until he noticed two pairs of eyes glaring into his, one with a gaze of absolute love and the other of slight amusement.<p>

"He's beautiful," a green faced man cooed as he stuck his face in Casey's, "absolutely beautiful."

Casey blinked, unsure how to feel about the man in front of him. The man's black eyes seemingly bore into his soul, but it was such a loving gaze that Casey couldn't help but smile and giggle at the crazy looking man. The tiny robot then looked down and noticed that the man had legs like his own, except they didn't look as shiny, and Casey focused his own gaze on his feet, tapping them gently.

"He is kind of cute, Krankcase," the other man in the room patted the four legged man on the back, glancing over Casey. The first man, presumably Krankcase, scooped Casey up in his arms and held the little robot close, nodding furiously to the other man's comment.

"He's perfect, Glumshanks. My little boy."

Casey, not sure what the words meant, gleamed up at the man holding him a smile full of little, gapped teeth and wrapped his arms around the man's neck. Casey felt calm and loved by the man, he decided, and so he continued his small hug for a minute and then let go, observing the man's green face for any expressions of anger.

Krankcase, meanwhile, was in awe. He had created this little robot for no other purpose than to see if he could, and yet, he already loved the child like robot with all of his heart. The doctor had always liked kids, but until now, he never thought that he wanted a child of his own. Yet here Casey was, in his arms looking at him like he was the only one who mattered in his universe.

Krankcase kissed the little robot boy on the forehead and laid him back down, which prompted Casey to fall asleep on the work table. The crazy blue haired Doom Raider covered his new son with a soft yet ratty red woolen blanket and slipped a small chompy shaped pillow, courtesy of the Chompy Mage, under the boy's head.

Oh yes, Dr. Krankcase loved Casey, and if anyone hurt the little boy that was sound asleep on his work table, then Krankcase would butcher them, would send them to hell, and would love every minute of it.

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><p>It had been three years since Casey had been created, and to Krankcase' s amazement, Casey had made progress far better than any regular toddler. Casey could speak, walk, and even create small webs on which he could use to pull himself up into the air. The crazed Doom Raider watched his son as he zoomed around the room on his four legs, his jade eyes full of joy.<p>

"Casey, I want you to meet a few friends of mine. They'll be living here for a while," Krankcase smiled kindly at the gold and purple robotic boy, wincing as Casey nearly ran into a barrel of goo, "This is Golden Queen, Gulper, Wolfgang, Dream Catcher, Chompy Mage, and Chef Pepper Jack. Say hi to them Casey."

Casey stopped running around and looked at the people now in the room with him, growing slightly nervous as they studied him. There was a floating head of a girl who seemed friendly enough, as did the other woman, the blue slug looking creature, the wolf, and the chef, but there was something about the old man that made Casey really uncomfortable. The little boy quickly hid in his father's legs, "Hi... I'm Casey."

The strangers smiled at him kindly, their eyes all trained upon him. Casey had never been a shy boy, but this made him oddly uncomfortable. The floating girl, Casey assuming who was named Dream Catcher, then giggled lightly, "Oh, Krankcase, he's a cutie!"

Krankcase smiled widely, his insanity and his love beaming through his expression, "Why thank you, miss Dream Catcher. Come in, come in, we have planning to do!"

The strangers all followed Krankcase through the house, and Casey started to go make sure all of the bolts were locked on the door. A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him, however, and Casey turned to see the old, creepy man looking at him with an unfamiliar gaze. The look in the man's eyes made the little boy uncomfortable for it was almost like love except it was more dark and sinister. "Hello, Casey," the old man squeaked out, moving a chompy puppet to make it appear like it was the one talking, "you really are a cutie."

Casey was beyond terrified at this point, but the more the little robot scooted away, the closer the old man would come. When Casey was finally cornered in a corner, with no chance of escape, he shut his eyes and cried some, sure that this man was about to do something horrible. However, that something horrible never came, and when Casey opened his eyes the old man was being dragged away by the gothic werewolf and the red skinned chef stood before him. The chef simply hugged Casey gently and patted his back, a much more friendly expression on his face than the old man had had. Then the fire element handed Casey a small pepper shaped chocolate and walked off, leaving the boy a bit calmer than he had been before.

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><p><strong>WARNING! <strong>

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><p>Chef Pepper Jack hummed quietly as he iced his Mexican chocolate cake, swirling the orange coloured icing in such a way to replicate the gears of the tech element. Today was Casey's fourteenth birthday, and the chef wanted to make sure that he had the best birthday he possibly could. All of the Doom Raiders were fond of Casey, especially Pepper Jack and Wolfgang (and of course his father), and so the evil chef got to work on making Casey a three tiered version of his favourite cake. Wolfgang was with him as a 'taste tester', but really all the wolf had done was lick the cake batter out of the bowl.<p>

"Really, Wolfgang, you was supposed to help me with this freaking cake," Pepper Jack grumbled, sighing as the wolf still said nothing. Pepper Jack opened his mouth again to scold the wolf but then stopped as Wolfgang put the bowl down, his ears sticking straight up. Something had bound to be up or else the undead element wouldn't be in such a state. Pepper Jack put down his icing pipper and stood next to Wolfgang, and then he heard it. Screaming and crying echoed in their ears, and both of them recognized Casey's voice.

The red skinned pepper man and the werewolf ran to the door of Casey's room and knocked it down, Krankcase following them after he too had the noise from the living room. The three men stood, mouth agate, at the scene in front of them, each and every one of them disgusted. There, in the middle of the work room in which Casey was made, was the birthday boy and the Chompy Mage, the latter of which had Casey pinned to wall and was doing an unspeakable act to the poor boy.

"What. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing?" Krankcase seethed, his chest heaving with rage. The Chompy Mage turned around slowly, shaking slightly.

"Now, good friend, don't be alarmed. Please, I did not do anything," the old man pleaded, adjusting his cloak to where he was covered again. Wolfgang growled at this, and Krankcase walked towards the man slowly, a burning hatred in his eyes. Pepper Jack then glanced at Casey, who was limp in the floor and crying slightly. Jack's face then developed a grim expression; he may not have been a father but he knew something like this was enough to murder over.

"You. TOUCHED. MY. SON!" Krankcase heaved all of his burning rage at the mage, wrapping his green fist around his throat and lifting him up into the air. The mage gasped for breath, but Krankcase only tightened his grip, making Chompy Mage' s face turn a dark blue shade. Pepper Jack watched the horrified expression on Casey's face as his father choked the life out of the man, and so Pepper Jack handed the tech villain a butcher knife from his chef's jacket and covered the boy's eyes as Krankcase set the mage down and pinned his arm to the wall, "Don't worry, though. Soon you'll no longer have a hand to touch anything at all with."

Pepper Jack watched silently as Krankcase chopped off the man's hand in one swing, the bone crunching in a sickening way. Chompy Mage screamed in pain, making the rest of the doom raiders appear in the doorway. Krankcase ignored them all as he walked over to his son, Pepper Jack stepping out of the way as the man scooped Casey into a hug. The others grimaced at the scene, the Chompy Mage still screaming in pain as Dr. Krankcase held Casey to his chest, sobbing quietly.

"I can make him forget this happened, if you want me to," Dream Catcher inquired solemnly, her soothing voice calming Casey a little. Krankcase nodded and set him up on Casey's bed / the work table he was made on, and Dream Catcher sang him to sleep gently. Pepper Jack stood next to the boy as his eyes fluttered, tears still running down his face.

Pepper Jack wiped away a tear gently, "Happy Birthday, Casey. I made you a cake for when you wake up."

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><p><strong>WARNING OVER<strong>

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><p>Casey drummed his fingers idly on the desk before him, his jade eyes scanning the area surrounding him. Casey had just recently turned nineteen years old and now he was about to accomplish his dream of being a private investigator like his dad was. Only problem was that this a rather quiet part of Skylands and so no one really needed a detective. Casey sighed as he started to lock his door for the night, but then a mysterious stranger in a cloak barged through his door, "Oh, you have to help me!"<p>

Casey could tell the stranger was female, and quite distraught, and so he nodded and shut his door behind her, "What seems to be the problem, ma'am?"

"This evil man came and dumped all this green goo on my wooden doll collection, and now my dolls are trying to kill me!" She screeched dramatically, waving her arms pretending to faint into an arm chair.

Casey said nothing of the woman's behaviour and simply smiled at her; a case was a case and he had to pay the bills somehow. "Now ma'am, do you know who this evil man might be?"

"Of course I know who it was; it was that damned Dr. Krankcase!"

Casey's blood ran cold. His father wasn't evil, so why was this woman sitting in his office accusing him of bringing murderous wooden dolls to life? The robot only smiled fakely at the woman, his voice hard, "I'll see what I can do, ma'am."

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><p>"Dad, please, you have to run!" Casey begged as he explained to his father the story, his eyes wide and pleading.<p>

Krankcase himself just remained silent, his eyes trained on the kitchen table, waiting for Pepper Jack to be done with dinner. "Casey," Krankcase sighed, "have I ever told you how you received your fighting abilities?"

Casey shook his head, his eyebrow raised slightly. Casey had always been a good fighter, what with his cannons in his legs, his bombs, and his webs that suspend him in the air, but Casey had never really thought about where the abilities came from. "Well, Casey, your powers came from that same goo. When I made you all those years ago, I put the goo in a cavity in your chest, and that cavity pumps the goo through your body like a heart would blood. That's what keeps you alive, Casey. That's what made you come to life."

"You mean, you really was an evil villain?"

Krankcase sighed sadly, quietly thanking Chef Pepper Jack as he slid their dinner in front of them, "Casey, my boy, there is no 'was' to it. I am an evil villain. We all are. We're the Doom Raiders, you remember hearing about us, right?"

Casey stared wide eyed at his father, his shock gripping his chest. His father couldn't be evil; he was too spontaneous, quirky, and loving. None of them could be. Dream Catcher was like his bigger sister, was she really an evil villain? Chef Pepper Jack had always been there for him and had even taught him to cook. Was Pepper Jack really evil too? Even Wolfgang, who had taught Casey how to play the drums (and who Casey had a small crush on)? Casey shook his head and stood up from the table, making Krankcase look at his soon with grief. "I'll be right back, dad, I think I forgot to bolt the doors of my office."

Casey ran out of the small, hidden house, the grey splintering wood creaking under his metal feet. The tech element made it to his office only to find the mabu police force tearing apart his office, each of them seemingly looking for something. They then turned and saw Casey, and soon all ten of them had Casey pinned to the floor in hand cuffs. "Detective Casey, you're under arrest for harbouring a villain."

Casey just laid there, limp, as they dragged him to his feet and outside, the sky now pouring with rain. This was never how Casey expected his life to end out; in hand cuffs being arrested for living with his father. The robotic teen didn't speak out, though, for he had to keep his father safe at all costs.

"He's not the one you want and we all know it," a voice rang out, and Casey snapped hid head up to see his father standing before him, a look of defeat on his face, "He can't help living with me; he's my son. He didn't know I was evil. Please, let him go, and I'll go with you. I won't even put up a fight."

"Dad, no," Casey pleaded as the hand cuffs were taken off his wrists, running to Krankcase as soon as the cuffs were off. Krankcase wrapped his arms around his son, fat tears rolling down his face.

"I'm sorry, Casey, but you're my baby boy. I made you, I raised you, and I'll be damned if I'll watch you rot away in a prison cell because of me. Please, Casey, live a better life than I have, and always remember, you are the best thing I've ever created."

Krankcase was then pulled away from Casey, the mabu police force violently shoving the man into a dingy lined with crystals. Krankcase then went slack, his entire body slumped over almost like he was dead. The mabu all programmed the dingy where to go and watched as it flew off, then leaving themselves. Casey screamed the entire time, furious with himself. If only he hadn't taken on that client. Casey noticed them the entire time, standing in an ally way watching as the scene occured. The client then took down their hood, and Casey saw that it had been no other than Kaos' mother, the evil bitch who wanted to rule Skylands as her own.

Casey clenched his fist, an idea forming in his head. She may have had his dad locked away, but Casey wasn't about to go down without a fight.

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><p>It had been two years since Krankcase had been locked away, and since then Casey shut himself off from the world, looking for his father. Casey had travelled all throughout Skylands, looking high and low for any clue that might lead him to his father. Chef Pepper Jack, Wolfgang, and Dream Catcher had all went with him, and they were the only people he'd even speak to anymore. It's not that Casey didn't care about anyone, it was just that he didn't want to let his guard down and have another person he cared about taken away from him.<p>

"Casey, it's late. We ought to find a place to stay for the night," Wolfgang whispered as Casey aimlessly walked around Wilikin village, a notebook in his hands. Casey only looked at Wolfgang, his face bleary and tired, then sighed with a nod.

"I guess we should," Casey mumbled, walking into a nearby pub. The pub was filled with drunk Wilikin dolls, stumbling around aimlessly and talking of some one who had apparently created them. Looking at the dolls made Casey think of his father and of the green goo running through his veins, which of course put the tech element into a more somber mood.

Wolfgang, fully aware that Casey wouldn't ask for himself, took a glass and threw it at the back of the bartender' s head, cracking the glass. "Hey, you, where's the nearest inn in this place, huh?"

The bartender slowly turned and looked at the group, one of his wooden eyes clouded over and a molded scar running down his face. The wooden man wiped the broken glass from his body with a cautious pace, a few pieces getting stuck in his fingers, "Why should I tell you?"

"Because we asked you?" Wolfgang retorted, rolling his eyes and huffing. Pepper Jack then placed a hand on the wolf's chest and pushed him back, apologizing to the Wilikin man.

"It's across the street," the bartender grumbled, spitting in a glass then shinning it, "but it's booked for the night."

"And how would you know that?" Dream Catcher inquired, floating up to the counter. Although she was only a floating head, Dream was very terrifying to most people and most viewed her as the scariest Doom Raider. They had even came across people who would rather fight Wolfgang than Dream, which was a fact Casey always found funny. The bartender seemed spooked by her, though, and soon he pulled out a bellhop cap and a room key.

"Welcome to the Sleep Well Inn. I shall carry any luggage you have across the street and into your room. We only have a honey moon sweet available; I hope you don't mind."

The four of them groaned but accepted the room, and the bartender walked with them across the street and into the inn, which was old fashioned but clean. They soon arrived at the honey moon sweet, and Dream Catcher and Pepper Jack flopped down into the rather large bed (large enough to fit all for of them and then some) and fell asleep almost instantly. Wolfgang, however, couldn't fall asleep and so he watched as Casey flipped through his journal, clearly exhausted.

"Casey, love, you need to sleep," Wolfgang cooed, wrapping his arms around the robot and squishing himself into the plush armchair. Casey and Wolfgang had been secretly dating for a few months, and although most would have been disgusted with their relationship because of the age gap, they was more than okay with it.

Casey leaned into the werewolf, nodding off slightly, "but I need to analyse these new clues."

"You can do that in the morning, love. You're going to exhaust yourself to the point of sickness. Please, sleep," Wolfgang pleaded, and Casey nodded, gently marking his place in his notes and closing the journal. The two then gently padded over to the bed and laid down, falling asleep as quickly as Dream Catcher and Pepper Jack had.

This sleep didn't last long, though, because soon Casey was bolting out of bed with a smile on his face, "I know where he is!"

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><p>The group arrived at the Cloud Break Islands, smiling and singing for the first time in years. The volcano was directly in their line of sight, and they all raced to it, eager to rescue their long lost friend and Casey's father.<p>

Krankcase' s location had come to Casey in a data induced dream, and he honestly had felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. Here they were now, though, and soon Casey would have his father back. "I hope he's okay," Casey looked at the entrance of a cave adjacent to the volcano, and soon he stepped inside.

There, chained in crystals on the back wall, was Dr. Krankcase himself. The villain looked old and haggard, his body noticeably skinnier and his skin noticeably paler. He was barely breathing, but he was alive, and that's all Casey cared about.

"Dad!" Casey screamed, running to his father and hugging his torso. Dr. Krankcase snapped open his eyes and saw his son hugging him, and he smiled gently for the first time since he had been arrested.

"Now, Casey, what are you doing here?," Krankcase asked, looking down at the robot he made all those years ago, "they'll arrest you if they catch you here."

"I don't care, dad, I'm here to for you," Casey pulled the chains off his father within a few tugs, which was an impressive feat for a giant, let alone Casey. Krankcase said nothing though as he Casey freed him, and soon the doctor was hugging his son back.

"Thank you, my boy," Krankcase smiled, so glad to see his son and his friends. The insane villain then straightened up, a worried expression on his face, "But seriously, Casey, you have go leave now. Kaos' s mother is planning on evilizing this volcano and blowing it up!"

The group paled, their expressions that of fear and worry. Just how would one blow up a volcano, and wouldn't that blow molten lava over Skylands? To prove how dangerous the cave was, the entire structure of it started to collapse. They all ran out as the cave caved in, watching as the volcano shook violently.

"What the!" A voice behind them yelled, and Casey turned to see an octopus in pirate gear watching the volcano in horror.

"Hello, sir, I'd move out of the way unless you want to get blown to bits," Casey warned the man as he drug Krankcase away from the trembling volcano, still watching it.

"Just who are you?" The pirate asked, narrowing his eyes at the group as he started walking towards them.

"My name is Spy Rise and I really think you should get away from the volcano now, sir!" Casey called, using an alias he had developed over the years to cover his tracks while looking for his father.

The octopus stopped and raised an eyebrow, "Spy Rise, you say? I've heard of you. I've heard that you're a kick ass detective. Now, do you know what's going on?"

"Thank you, and basically Kaos' Mom stuck dark crystals in the volcano and now it's about to combust."

The octopus looked at Casey wide eyed, his jaw slack and his hat falling off his head, "Well I'll be damned. C'mon, you scalawags, we got ourselves a volcano to save!"

Casey watched as the team of warriors all appeared out of no where and formed a line behind their leader. The rest of the team took off, but the octopus stayed behind and looked at Casey, "Want to join us, Spy Rise?"

Casey agreed, after some encouragement from his dad and his boyfriend, and Casey followed the octopus up the volcano. Casey noticed that he had an easier time getting up the volcano than most of the others did, which seemed to impress them. They all reached the volcano and dove inside, destroying the crystals one by one. It took a few hours to do so, but Casey had never been more proud of himself in his entire life. The octopus came and slapped Casey on the back with a tentacle, smiling, "I say, we make this boy a Skylander! What do you say, men?"

The Skylanders cheered and clapped, all of them agreeing that it was a good idea to make Casey a Skylander. Casey was ecstatic; something told him that deep down, he belonged as a Skylander. So, he accepted their offer, promising himself that he'd find a way to create a better life for him and his father.

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><p>"And that's basically his life story," Krankcase finished with a cackle, taking a swig from a root beer Pop Fizz had given him. The Skylanders around the camp fire looked stunned, and Spy Rise himself looked sick.<p>

"I was violated by the Chompy Mage!?" Spy gagged, shuddering as the words left his mouth.

"Well, yeah. Why do you think I kept him locked up in the shed after your fourteenth birthday?"

"You told me it was because he took a crap on Golden Queen' s bed!" Spy groaned and held his head in his hands, his face green.

Pop Fizz felt bad for the robot and so he leaned in to Spy' s ear, "Hey, I've got some alcohol if you need to get tipsy right now." Spy nodded furiously and so Pop handed him a bottle of gin, and soon the robot had the entire thing chugged down.

"Huh, you're name is Casey. I like it, it's cute!" Grim pipped up, giggling and hugging a now intoxicated Spy Rise. Spy mumbled out a thank you and hugged the ghoul back, making Krankcase aww gently.

"Alright, now that we know that Spy' s name is Casey and the Chompy Mage is a pedo bear, let's hear some more life stories," Freeze Blade clapped his hands together and spun the bottle, and soon it landed on the next victim.


End file.
